Cladding panel

ABSTRACT

A composite cladding panel  1  comprises a backing tray  2  and an external skin  3  with a layer of foam insulation  4  therebetween. A plurality of spacers  10  are attached to the external skin  3.  The spacers  10  are of top-hat form with mounting legs  41  for mounting to the skin  3  and a support  40  to which side edge clips  20  are mounted. The clips  20  have spaced-apart formations  21  that engage in corresponding side edge recesses  22  of tiles  5.  The top hat spacers  10  space the tiles  5  apart from the skin  3  of the panel so that the tiles  5  define with the skin  3  ventilation passageways  30  which can remove moisture.

INTRODUCTION

The invention relates to a composite cladding panel of the type comprising an inner skin and an external skin with insulation foam material therebetween.

Buildings comprising a steel frame on which pre-formed panels are mounted may be erected quickly and more cheaply than buildings with brick or block facades.

One of the problems with buildings constructed from pre-formed panels is that such panels can often be uninteresting aesthetically. It is known to form such panels with various profiles and in various colours, however, there is still a need to provide an aesthetically different facade in some cases. One such system is described in our WO2006/064489A.

This invention is directed towards providing an improved panel system of this type.

STATEMENTS OF INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a composite cladding panel comprising an internal skin and an external skin with insulation material therebetween, one of the skins having a plurality of spacers attached thereto, the spacers being adapted for fixing tiles or the like to the spacers to form a cladding, the tiles defining with the skin to which they are attached a ventilation passageway.

In one embodiment the spacers comprise support elements.

The support element preferably comprises a mounting leg for mounting to the panel and a support leg for receiving a tile fixing.

In a particularly preferred embodiment the support element is of top-hat form.

In one embodiment the support elements are attached to the panel by a plurality of fasteners. The fastener may comprise a clamping fastener. The clamping fastener may comprise an internal sleeve and a bolt, the sleeve clamping to the inside of the external skin on tightening of the bolt.

In one embodiment the external skin of the panel has an adhesive on the inner face thereof. The adhesive may be applied to the inner face of the external skin prior to lay-down of liquid insulating foam reactants.

In one embodiment the panel comprises a plurality of tile fixings attached to the spacers. In one case the tile fixings are edge tile fixings.

In another aspect the invention provides a composite cladding panel comprising an internal skin and an external skin with insulation material therebetween, one of the skins having a plurality of support elements attached thereto, the support elements being adapted for fixing tiles or the like to the support elements to form a cladding, the support element comprises a mounting leg for mounting to the panel and a support leg for receiving a tile fixing. Preferably the support element is of top-hat form.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description thereof given by way of example only, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a composite insulating cladding panel system according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the composite panel of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are cross-sectional views illustrating a fastener used with the panel; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective View of the fastener, in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the drawings there is illustrated a composite cladding panel 1 according to the invention. The panel 1 comprises a steel skin or backing tray 2 and an external steel skin 3 with a layer of foam insulation material 4 such as a phenolic or polyurethane based foam material therebetween. The panel may be of any suitable type such as that described in our UK2325678A, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

One of the skins, in this case the external skin 3 has a plurality of spacers for fixing facade or cladding elements such as tiles 5 to the panel. The tiles may be brick, ceramic or the like to form a cladding for the panel. The spacers comprise support elements 10 and fasteners 12 for fastening the support elements 10 to the external skin 3.

Each fastener 12 comprises an internal clamping sleeve 15 and a bolt 16. One such fastening systems is that referred to in a Fablok (Trade Mark). A hole is first drilled through the skin 3 and the sleeve 15 is inserted as illustrated in FIG. 3. On tightening of the bolt 16, the sleeve 15 splays and is clamped against the inside surface of the external skin 3 as will be particularly apparent for FIGS. 4 and 5. The support element 10 has pre-drilled holes through which the shanks of the bolts 16 are inserted. On tightening of the bolts 16, the support elements 10 are fixed to the panels. In this way the support elements 10 are efficiently and effectively clamped to the external skin 3. The support elements 10 are omitted from FIGS. 2 to 5 for clarity.

To enhance the peel strength of the composite panel a layer 30 of an adhesive is applied to the internal face of the external skin 3. The adhesive layer 30 is a pre-lay-down adhesive which is compatible with the material of the insulting core 4. We have found that the use of such an adhesive greatly enhances the peel strength of the panel and enables the panel to carry the additional load of the cladding tiles.

In manufacture, an external skin 3 is drawn from a reel and laid down in a lay-down bed with the internal face uppermost. The adhesive 30 is then uniformly applied over the internal face of the skin 3 prior to lay-down of liquid foam reactants. The inner skin 2 is then led from a reel and located above the liquid foam reactants. The assembly is the passed through an oven in which the liquid foam reactants expand to form the insulating core 4. A desired length of panel is then cut.

The support elements 10 are laid out across the external face of the skin 3 of the panel and the locations for fastening the receiving boles to be drilled in the panel are marked. The support elements may be removed, the holes drilled and the clamping sleeves 15 inserted. The holes in the support elements 10 are aligned with the clamping sleeves 15 and the bolts are inserted and tightened, clamping the support elements 10 to the skin 3 as described above. The tiles 5 are then fixed to the support elements 10 using side edge fixing clips 20 having spaced-apart formations 21 that engage in corresponding side edge recesses 22 of the tiles 5. The tiles 5 are moved into place and held on the support elements 10. No fixing screws are required to mount the tiles 5 to the support elements 10.

The invention provides a composite panel of relatively simple but highly robust construction which facilitates easy on site cladding with finishing tiles such as brick tiles.

In the invention the spacers 10 space the tiles 5 apart from the skin of the panel to which they are attached. Thus, the tiles 5 define, with the skin 3 of the panel ventilation passageways 30. These ventilation passageways 30 can remove moisture which is particularly useful in the case of a porous facade or tile. The ventilation gap defined by the spacers 10 is preferably at least 25 mm but can be at least 50 mm or possibly larger, depending on the application.

It will be appreciated that a fire break can be provided between the tiles and the panel to prevent fire travelling in the gap therebetween. Such a fire break may be of an intumescent material that expands only in a fire situation. Thus, ventilation is not restricted in normal use.

The support elements 10 in this case have a support 40 to which the tile fasteners/clips 20 are readily mounted and a mounting leg 41 for mounting the support element 10 to the panel. In this case the support elements are of top-hat shape which is a particularly suitable form for this application because a top hat section has two sidewardly projecting fixing legs. The top hat form is a very stable section that lends itself to being fixed to flat surfaces.

It will be appreciated that in use the panels may be vertically orientated as illustrated in FIG. 1 which is particularly suitable when ventilation is required. However, the panels may be horizontally orientated. The top hat support elements may also be vertically or horizontally orientated.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described which may be varied in detail. 

1-14. (canceled)
 15. A composite cladding panel comprising an internal skin and an external skin with insulation material therebetween, one of the skins having a plurality of spacers attached thereto, the spacers being adapted for fixing tiles or the like to the spacers to form a cladding, the tiles defining with the skin to which they are attached a ventilation passageway.
 16. The panel as claimed in claim 15 wherein the spacers comprise support elements.
 17. The panel as claimed in claim 16 wherein the support element comprises a mounting leg for mounting to the panel and a support leg for receiving a tile fixing.
 18. The panel as claimed in claim 17 wherein the support element is of top-hat form.
 19. The panel as claimed in claim 16 wherein the support elements are attached to the panel by a plurality of fasteners.
 20. The panel as claimed in claim 19 wherein the fastener comprises a clamping fastener.
 21. The panel as claimed in claim 20 wherein the clamping fastener comprises an internal sleeve and a bolt, the sleeve clamping to the inside of the external skin on tightening of the bolt.
 22. The panel as claimed in claim 15 wherein the external skin of the panel has an adhesive on the inner face thereof.
 23. The panel as claimed in claim 22 wherein the adhesive is applied to the inner face of the external skin prior to lay-down of liquid insulating foam reactants.
 24. The panel as claimed in claim 15 comprising a plurality of tile fixings attached to the spacers.
 25. The panel as claimed in claim 24 wherein the tile fixings are edge tile fixings.
 26. A composite cladding panel comprising an internal skin and an external skin with insulation material therebetween, one of the skins having a plurality of support elements attached thereto, the support elements being adapted for fixing tiles or the like to the support elements to form a cladding, the support element comprises a mounting leg for mounting to the panel and a support leg for receiving a tile fixing.
 27. The panel as claimed in claim 26 wherein the support element is of top-hat form. 